Active protection systems conventionally include a gun barrel defining an inner cylindrical bore through which one or more projectiles is fired toward the intended target. Significant heat is generated by the burning of the propellant and by abrasive frictional sliding at the projectile-bore interface such that the gun barrel must be made of steel to withstand the temperature involved. Also, the abrasive frictional sliding of the projectile against the inner bore produces gun barrel wear which reduces the lifetime of the gun. As such, it is not possible to manufacture conventional gun barrels from composite resin compositions which have greater strength for withstanding the pressures involved but are not able to withstand the high temperatures and abrasive friction involved.
Gun barrels conventionally have an open muzzle end and a rear end of either the breech or closed type. With the breech type, the rear end of the gun barrel is opened to insert a cartridge whereupon the breech is closed in preparation for firing. With the closed rear end type, the cartridge of shell is inserted through the open muzzle end for firing. With both types, burning of the propellant and sliding between the projectile and the inner bore produces significant heat and barrel wear as described above.
Some active protection systems have previously utilized a dispersion of projectiles to provide a large field or volume of projectiles in attempt to assure at least one impact with the intended target. However, the considerations involved with generating the projectile dispersion a desirable angular extent have not been developed to a practical extent.
Prior art active protection systems and other munitions are disclosed by U.S. Pat. Nos. 723,256 Emery; 819,834 Zalinscki; 2,872,846 Crozier; 2,926,566 Atkins et al; 3,618,250 Grady; 4,012,985 Magnusson; and 4,170,922 Peterson et al.